288 
D/» Davy’s observations on the 
Before four in the afternoon we were out of sight of the 
Cape of Good Hope, and in deep water. 
In approaching Ceylon, and particularly the southern 
shore of the island, where the mean annual temperature 
appears to be about 8o°, little or no change of temperature 
could be expected on entering shallow water ; yet we expe- 
rienced a manifest change, a reduction of at least two de- 
grees on coming into soundings. When we were in north 
latitude 5 0 17", and east longitude by chronometer 79 0 42", 
the temperature of the water began to fall ; in the morning 
at eight, it was 78° 5" and at ten at night it was 7 6 ° 5". Next 
morning, land was discovered. 
From the observations, in general, on the temperature of 
the water, recorded in the Journal, there is reason to believe, 
that during the whole voyage we were frequently encoun- 
tering currents. Many of the results stated, are scarcely to 
be explained on any other hypothesis. When the tempera- 
ture of the water became suddenly reduced, I inferred we 
were either in a current from the poles, or over some high 
ground in the bed of the ocean ; and the former conclusion 
was almost constantly confirmed by other observations. And 
on the contrary, when the temperature of the water experi- 
enced a sudden increase, I inferred that we were in a current 
flowing from the equatorial regions. The only current we 
passed, that appears to me to require particular notice, is the 
well known one, that flows round the bank of Lagullas, from 
the south-east coast of Africa. It is marked in all charts, 
and it has been pretty minutely, and very scientifically 
described, and its course explained by Major Rennell, 
